EP0009868B1 - Improvements in or relating to a method and to an apparatus for transporting items and plant therefor - Google Patents
Improvements in or relating to a method and to an apparatus for transporting items and plant therefor Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0009868B1 EP0009868B1 EP79301607A EP79301607A EP0009868B1 EP 0009868 B1 EP0009868 B1 EP 0009868B1 EP 79301607 A EP79301607 A EP 79301607A EP 79301607 A EP79301607 A EP 79301607A EP 0009868 B1 EP0009868 B1 EP 0009868B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- duct
- liquid
- items
- receiving station
- sump
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 19
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 39
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 claims description 16
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000011236 particulate material Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000002253 acid Substances 0.000 description 21
- GRYLNZFGIOXLOG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Nitric acid Chemical compound O[N+]([O-])=O GRYLNZFGIOXLOG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 9
- 229910017604 nitric acid Inorganic materials 0.000 description 9
- 239000003758 nuclear fuel Substances 0.000 description 9
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 8
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000004090 dissolution Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000004992 fission Effects 0.000 description 3
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000013019 agitation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000009835 boiling Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000005574 cross-species transmission Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010992 reflux Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000010923 batch production Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000013590 bulk material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005494 condensation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010924 continuous production Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012809 cooling fluid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012958 reprocessing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005201 scrubbing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002915 spent fuel radioactive waste Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
- G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
- G21C19/00—Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
- G21C19/34—Apparatus or processes for dismantling nuclear fuel, e.g. before reprocessing ; Apparatus or processes for dismantling strings of spent fuel elements
- G21C19/38—Chemical means only
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G53/00—Conveying materials in bulk through troughs, pipes or tubes by floating the materials or by flow of gas, liquid or foam
- B65G53/30—Conveying materials in bulk through pipes or tubes by liquid pressure
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
- Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors
Definitions
- This invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for transporting discrete items from one station to another in a continuous or batch process, and to plant therefor.
- the method and the apparatus of the present invention are useful for transporting chopped pieces of nuclear fuel pins through an acid solvent, such as boiling nitric acid, in which nuclear fuel material and fission products are leached-out of the chopped fuel pins.
- an acid solvent such as boiling nitric acid
- One such method involves the use of a liquid as a conveying medium for the items, with agitation of the liquid causing displacement of the items in a preferred manner.
- the items might comprise bulk material which is transported along a series of water-containing troughs by means of air impulses applied to the water between the troughs, sueh an arrangement being shown in British Patent Specification No. 884,056.
- the liquid might be selected such that it acts as a solvent for some of the material of the items, so that transport of the items is associated with selective dissolution thereof, as described in British Patent Specification No. 971,188.
- An object of the present invention is thus to provide a method and an apparatus for transporting items remotely by use of a liquid to transport the items and to effect selective dissolution of some of the material of the items, in which the number of moving mechanical parts is kept as low as possible.
- an apparatus for transporting from a receiving station to a discharge station items capable of being transported in a liquid comprising an inlet duct for receiving the items to be transported and downwardly extending from the receiving station, an outlet duct connected to the inlet duct at a region below the level of the receiving station and upwardly extending to the discharge station, the inlet duct and the outlet duct being adapted to contain a transporting liquid, displacing means for applying a pulse to the transporting liquid so as to displace the transporting liquid upwardly in at least the outlet duct, a discharge opening at the discharge station, through which discharge opening the items transported by the liquid displaced in the outlet duct can pass, a permeable barrier means at the said region for fine particulate material from the items to pass therethrough into a sump duct extending downwardly from the barrier means, and a heat transfer means for controlling the temperature of the liquid in the sump duct.
- the invention provides a method of transporting from a receiving station to a discharge station items capable of being transported in a liquid, the method comprising containing the liquid in a duct having two upwardly extending portions thereof from a lower region of the duct, feeding the items from a receiving station into the liquid in one of the duct portions, allowing fine particulate material from the items to pass through a permeable barrier means at the lower region into a sump duct extending downwardly from the barrier means, controlling with a heat transfer means the temperature of the liquid in the sump duct, applying a pulse to the liquid so as to displace the liquid upwardly in at least the other duct portion, and discharging the items from the other duct portion through a discharge opening at the discharge station.
- the receiving station may be above or below the level of the discharge opening, and the feed of the items from the receiving station may inhibit upward displacement of the items in the one duct portion towards the receiving station.
- Overflow means may be provided and connected to the sump duct for limiting the level of the transporting liquid in the outlet duct.
- At least two said apparatus may be connected together in series relationship in a plant for the transport of the items therethrough.
- the transporting liquid may be a process liquor for the treatment of the items passing through the apparatus from the receiving station to the discharge station.
- the process liquor may be an acid for dissolving out the nuclear fuel materials and fission products from the hulls (chopped pieces of fuel cans).
- the product of the treatment process collects in the process liquor, for example, as a desired useful intermediate of final material, or a contaminant to be removed from the items to be treated, means may be provided to collect the product.
- some fresh process liquor is caused to flow in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the items from the receiving station to the discharge station, the remaining fresh process liquor flowing in said direction of movement.
- the plant shown comprises three Stages 1, 2 and 3 respectively, and an entry Stage 4.
- the entry Stage 4 comprises a 'V'-shaped duct 10 having a curved base duct 11, an inlet duct 12, and an outlet duct 13.
- the inlet duct 12 is connected to a dismantling installation (not shown) in which irradiated nuclear fuel pins are dismantled and chopped into short lengths.
- a side duct 17 is joined to a fluid permeable barrier 19 at one side of the base duct 11, and has an outlet 21 connected to an ejector 14, and an inlet 22 connected to a compressed air bottle 27 having a control valve 26.
- a water jacket 23 is fitted around the inlet duct 12 which has an inlet 24 for cold dilute nitric acid 25.
- the outlet duct 13 extends to a vent duct 28 which is connected to a reflux condenser (not shown) and a chemical scrubber (not shown), and at an intermediate region 29 has a discharge opening 31 into Stage 1 of the plant but at a lower level than the uppermost end of the inlet duct 12.
- Stage 1 comprises a V-shaped duct 33 containing nitric acid 25 and having an inlet duct 35, an outlet duct 36, and a curved base duct 37 in a lower position than that of the base duct 11.
- a sump duct assembly 40 depends from a fluid permeable barrier 19 at the underside of the base duct 37, and has a short portion 41 extending normal to the base duct 37 and an inclined portion 42 having a jacket 45 for a heating or a cooling fluid therearound.
- An upright portion 46 of the sump duct 40 has a transfer duct 47 connected to the inlet duct 35 near the discharge opening 31, and at its upper end has a port 49 connected to a compressed air bottle 27 having a control valve 26, and an ejector 50 which extends down to the bottom of the upright portion 46.
- the outlet duct 36 has a discharge opening 52 below the level of the discharge opening 31 and is arranged to spill into Stage 2 which is provided by a 'V'-shaped duct 55 containing nitric acid 25 and having an inlet duct 56, an outlet duct 57, and a curved base duct 58 in a lower position than that of the base duct 37.
- a sump duct assembly 40 identical to the sump duct assembly 40 of Stage 1 depends from a fluid permeable barrier 19 at the underside of the base duct 58, and a product liquor overflow duct 59 having a chamber 60 therein and an overflow 61 below the level of a discharge opening 72 into Stage 3 extends from the sump duct 40 to a vent duct 65 which extends upwardly from Stage 3 to the vent duct 28.
- a vent 67 extends from the inlet duct 56 to the inlet duct 13 above the discharge opening 31.
- Stage 3 comprises a 'V'-shaped duct 70 containing nitric acid 25 and having an inlet duct 71 connected to the discharge opening 72 which is below the level of the discharge opening 52, and to the vent duct 65.
- a curved base duct 75 which is slightly lower in position than that of the base duct 58, is joined at one end to the inlet duct 71 and at the other end thereof to an outlet duct 77 which has a discharge opening 78 at a level slightly above that of the discharge opening 72.
- a sump duct assembly 40 identical to the sump duct assemblies 40 of Stage 1 and Stage 2 depends from a fluid permeable barrier 19 at the underside of the base duct 75 but additionally has a feed duct 80 for cold nitric acid 25 at the upright portion 46, and the transfer duct 47 thereof is arranged to discharge at the upper end of the outlet duct 57.
- nitric acid 25 is introduced into the plant to the levels shown. Items in the form of a quantity of chopped pieces of nuclear fuel pins, typically 25 mm long and 6.0 mm diameter and comprising irradiated mixed oxide nuclear fuel (UO 2/ P U 0 2 ) in stainless steel hulls are received in the inlet duct 12 of the entry Stage 4 from the dismantling installation.
- Items in the form of a quantity of chopped pieces of nuclear fuel pins typically 25 mm long and 6.0 mm diameter and comprising irradiated mixed oxide nuclear fuel (UO 2/ P U 0 2 ) in stainless steel hulls are received in the inlet duct 12 of the entry Stage 4 from the dismantling installation.
- the side duct 17 is evacuated by means of the ejector 14 connected to the outlet 21, and subsequently a pulse of compressed air at about 0.2 Newtons/mm 2 (30 Ibs/in 2 ) is applied to inlet 22 to displace the acid 25 and the hulls therein upwardly in the duct 10, causing some of the acid 25 and the hulls to spill over through the discharge opening 31 into the inlet duct 35 of Stage 1.
- Stage 1 a pulse of compressed air at the aforementioned pressure is applied from the bottle 27 to the port 49 to displace the acid 25 in the sump duct assembly 40 and in the V-shaped duct 33 together with the hulls therein, causing some of the acid 25 and the hulls to spill over through the discharge opening 52 into the inlet duct 56 of Stage 2.
- Stage 2 a pulse of compressed air at the aforementioned pressure is applied from the bottle 27 to the port 49 to displace the acid 25 and the hulls in Stage 2 in a similar manner to that described in relation to Stage 1 but as the height of the overflow 61 is below that of the discharge opening 72 less acid 25 is carried over into the inlet duct 71 of Stage 3, hulls being pushed and remaining out of the acid 25 during a pulse cycle in the outlet duct 57, and product liquor flowing from overflow 61.
- Stage 3 a pulse of compressed air from the bottle 27 at the aforementioned pressure is applied to the port 49 to displace the acid 25, and the hulls in the 'V'-shaped duct 70, in a similar manner to that described in relation to Stages 1 and 2, causing the hulls and some of the acid 25 to be discharged through the discharge opening 78.
- the discharge opening 78 is slightly above the level of the discharge opening 72, less acid 25 is discharged than during a pressure pulse in Stage 1 but more than during a corresponding pressure pulse in Stage 2.
- the empty hulls discharged from the outlet duct 77 may be washed or treated in one or more additional stages (not shown).
- fresh acid 25 is fed into the feed duct 80 of Stage 3 and the inlet 24 of the entry Stage 4 so that fresh acid can flow in the direction of movement of the hulls and in the opposite direction through the plant.
- Some acid 25 is circulated from the sump duct assemblies 40 through the transfer ducts 47 to the respective 'V'-shaped ducts 33 or 55.
- the temperature of the acid 25 in each Stage 1, 2, 3, and entry Stage 4 is controlled by the respective jacket 23, or 45 by adjusting the temperature of the fluid circulating through the respective jacket 23, 45, so that the nitric acid in the entry Stage 4 and Stage 3 is close to ambient temperature and the nitric acid in Stages 1 and 2 is just below its boiling temperature.
- Product gases are vented to the vent duct 28 for reflux condensation and chemical scrubbing.
- the fluid permeable barriers 19 may conveniently be provided by perforating the respective base duct 11, 37, 58 or 75.
- Each Stage may have the liquid therein displaced upwardly in a sequential manner by suitable sequential timing of the application of the compressed air pulses to the liquid to transport the items from one Stage to another.
- the plant is arranged to be dimensioned so that in the event of complete failure there will not be a critical mass of nuclear fissionable material retained in the plant, and furthermore, the plant will be housed within a biological shield.
- the plant may be constructed where appropriate from stainless steel or from suitable glass.
- a sump duct assembly 40 could be joined to a permeable barrier means 19 at the side of the base duct 37 instead of to the underside of the base duct 37.
- Superheated steam could be used to provide the pressure pulse to displace the acid 25, or a hydraulic ram or piston used to produce a similar effect.
- the apparatus of the invention is not restricted to the dissolution of nuclear fuel materials, and may also be designed to transport items with, or without the transporting liquid reacting or treating the items to be transported.
- the inlet duct and the outlet duct could be joined together in an alternative arrangement to that described above, and need not be straight, for example they could be coiled helically upwards.
- the use of a curved join between the inlet duct and the outlet duct is preferred, however, to inhibit any tendency of the items to jam.
- the inlet duct and the outlet duct could be formed by a tank with a downwardly extending dividing wall or baffle that terminates above the bottom of the tank to form essentially an inlet passageway and an outlet passageway.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
- Extraction Or Liquid Replacement (AREA)
Description
- This invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for transporting discrete items from one station to another in a continuous or batch process, and to plant therefor.
- In particular, the method and the apparatus of the present invention are useful for transporting chopped pieces of nuclear fuel pins through an acid solvent, such as boiling nitric acid, in which nuclear fuel material and fission products are leached-out of the chopped fuel pins.
- In many processes there is a need for a method and an apparatus for transporting items remotely with the minimum of moving parts. One such method involves the use of a liquid as a conveying medium for the items, with agitation of the liquid causing displacement of the items in a preferred manner. The items might comprise bulk material which is transported along a series of water-containing troughs by means of air impulses applied to the water between the troughs, sueh an arrangement being shown in British Patent Specification No. 884,056. Alternatively, the liquid might be selected such that it acts as a solvent for some of the material of the items, so that transport of the items is associated with selective dissolution thereof, as described in British Patent Specification No. 971,188.
- An object of the present invention is thus to provide a method and an apparatus for transporting items remotely by use of a liquid to transport the items and to effect selective dissolution of some of the material of the items, in which the number of moving mechanical parts is kept as low as possible.
- According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for transporting from a receiving station to a discharge station items capable of being transported in a liquid, the apparatus comprising an inlet duct for receiving the items to be transported and downwardly extending from the receiving station, an outlet duct connected to the inlet duct at a region below the level of the receiving station and upwardly extending to the discharge station, the inlet duct and the outlet duct being adapted to contain a transporting liquid, displacing means for applying a pulse to the transporting liquid so as to displace the transporting liquid upwardly in at least the outlet duct, a discharge opening at the discharge station, through which discharge opening the items transported by the liquid displaced in the outlet duct can pass, a permeable barrier means at the said region for fine particulate material from the items to pass therethrough into a sump duct extending downwardly from the barrier means, and a heat transfer means for controlling the temperature of the liquid in the sump duct.
- According to another aspect, the invention provides a method of transporting from a receiving station to a discharge station items capable of being transported in a liquid, the method comprising containing the liquid in a duct having two upwardly extending portions thereof from a lower region of the duct, feeding the items from a receiving station into the liquid in one of the duct portions, allowing fine particulate material from the items to pass through a permeable barrier means at the lower region into a sump duct extending downwardly from the barrier means, controlling with a heat transfer means the temperature of the liquid in the sump duct, applying a pulse to the liquid so as to displace the liquid upwardly in at least the other duct portion, and discharging the items from the other duct portion through a discharge opening at the discharge station.
- The receiving station may be above or below the level of the discharge opening, and the feed of the items from the receiving station may inhibit upward displacement of the items in the one duct portion towards the receiving station. Overflow means may be provided and connected to the sump duct for limiting the level of the transporting liquid in the outlet duct.
- At least two said apparatus may be connected together in series relationship in a plant for the transport of the items therethrough.
- The transporting liquid may be a process liquor for the treatment of the items passing through the apparatus from the receiving station to the discharge station. For example, if the items are chopped nuclear fuel pins the process liquor may be an acid for dissolving out the nuclear fuel materials and fission products from the hulls (chopped pieces of fuel cans). In those instances where the product of the treatment process collects in the process liquor, for example, as a desired useful intermediate of final material, or a contaminant to be removed from the items to be treated, means may be provided to collect the product.
- Preferably, some fresh process liquor is caused to flow in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the items from the receiving station to the discharge station, the remaining fresh process liquor flowing in said direction of movement.
- The invention will now be further described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a multistage acid dissolving plant for use in reprocessing spent nuclear fuel.
- Referring now to the drawing, the plant shown comprises three
Stages 1, 2 and 3 respectively, and an entry Stage 4. The entry Stage 4 comprises a 'V'-shaped duct 10 having a curved base duct 11, an inlet duct 12, and anoutlet duct 13. The inlet duct 12 is connected to a dismantling installation (not shown) in which irradiated nuclear fuel pins are dismantled and chopped into short lengths. Aside duct 17 is joined to a fluidpermeable barrier 19 at one side of the base duct 11, and has anoutlet 21 connected to anejector 14, and aninlet 22 connected to acompressed air bottle 27 having acontrol valve 26. Awater jacket 23 is fitted around the inlet duct 12 which has aninlet 24 for cold dilutenitric acid 25. Theoutlet duct 13 extends to a vent duct 28 which is connected to a reflux condenser (not shown) and a chemical scrubber (not shown), and at anintermediate region 29 has a discharge opening 31 into Stage 1 of the plant but at a lower level than the uppermost end of the inlet duct 12. Stage 1 comprises a V-shaped duct 33 containingnitric acid 25 and having aninlet duct 35, anoutlet duct 36, and a curved base duct 37 in a lower position than that of the base duct 11. Asump duct assembly 40 depends from a fluidpermeable barrier 19 at the underside of the base duct 37, and has a short portion 41 extending normal to the base duct 37 and aninclined portion 42 having ajacket 45 for a heating or a cooling fluid therearound. Anupright portion 46 of thesump duct 40 has atransfer duct 47 connected to theinlet duct 35 near the discharge opening 31, and at its upper end has aport 49 connected to acompressed air bottle 27 having acontrol valve 26, and anejector 50 which extends down to the bottom of theupright portion 46. - The
outlet duct 36 has a discharge opening 52 below the level of the discharge opening 31 and is arranged to spill intoStage 2 which is provided by a 'V'-shaped duct 55 containingnitric acid 25 and having an inlet duct 56, anoutlet duct 57, and a curved base duct 58 in a lower position than that of the base duct 37. Asump duct assembly 40 identical to thesump duct assembly 40 of Stage 1 depends from a fluidpermeable barrier 19 at the underside of the base duct 58, and a productliquor overflow duct 59 having a chamber 60 therein and anoverflow 61 below the level of a discharge opening 72 into Stage 3 extends from thesump duct 40 to a vent duct 65 which extends upwardly from Stage 3 to the vent duct 28. Avent 67 extends from the inlet duct 56 to theinlet duct 13 above the discharge opening 31. - Stage 3 comprises a 'V'-shaped duct 70 containing
nitric acid 25 and having aninlet duct 71 connected to thedischarge opening 72 which is below the level of thedischarge opening 52, and to the vent duct 65. A curved base duct 75 which is slightly lower in position than that of the base duct 58, is joined at one end to theinlet duct 71 and at the other end thereof to anoutlet duct 77 which has a discharge opening 78 at a level slightly above that of the discharge opening 72. - A
sump duct assembly 40 identical to thesump duct assemblies 40 of Stage 1 andStage 2 depends from a fluidpermeable barrier 19 at the underside of the base duct 75 but additionally has a feed duct 80 for coldnitric acid 25 at theupright portion 46, and thetransfer duct 47 thereof is arranged to discharge at the upper end of theoutlet duct 57. - In operation,
nitric acid 25 is introduced into the plant to the levels shown. Items in the form of a quantity of chopped pieces of nuclear fuel pins, typically 25 mm long and 6.0 mm diameter and comprising irradiated mixed oxide nuclear fuel (UO2/PU02) in stainless steel hulls are received in the inlet duct 12 of the entry Stage 4 from the dismantling installation. Theside duct 17 is evacuated by means of theejector 14 connected to theoutlet 21, and subsequently a pulse of compressed air at about 0.2 Newtons/mm2 (30 Ibs/in2) is applied toinlet 22 to displace theacid 25 and the hulls therein upwardly in theduct 10, causing some of theacid 25 and the hulls to spill over through the discharge opening 31 into theinlet duct 35 of Stage 1. - In Stage 1, a pulse of compressed air at the aforementioned pressure is applied from the
bottle 27 to theport 49 to displace theacid 25 in thesump duct assembly 40 and in the V-shaped duct 33 together with the hulls therein, causing some of theacid 25 and the hulls to spill over through the discharge opening 52 into the inlet duct 56 ofStage 2. - In
Stage 2, a pulse of compressed air at the aforementioned pressure is applied from thebottle 27 to theport 49 to displace theacid 25 and the hulls inStage 2 in a similar manner to that described in relation to Stage 1 but as the height of theoverflow 61 is below that of the discharge opening 72less acid 25 is carried over into theinlet duct 71 of Stage 3, hulls being pushed and remaining out of theacid 25 during a pulse cycle in theoutlet duct 57, and product liquor flowing fromoverflow 61. - In Stage 3, a pulse of compressed air from the
bottle 27 at the aforementioned pressure is applied to theport 49 to displace theacid 25, and the hulls in the 'V'-shaped duct 70, in a similar manner to that described in relation toStages 1 and 2, causing the hulls and some of theacid 25 to be discharged through thedischarge opening 78. As thedischarge opening 78 is slightly above the level of the discharge opening 72,less acid 25 is discharged than during a pressure pulse in Stage 1 but more than during a corresponding pressure pulse inStage 2. The empty hulls discharged from theoutlet duct 77 may be washed or treated in one or more additional stages (not shown). - The effect of the upward displacement of the
acid 25 in eachStage 1, 2, 3 is to fluidise the hulls in therespective outlet duct respective inlet ducts shaped ducts 33, 55 and 70, fall through thepermeable barriers 19 into the respectivesump duct assemblies 40 in which the agitation produced by the pulsing of theacid 25 assists in the dissolution of the ?s. Eventually insoluble fines collect at the ttom of the sump duct assemblies 40 and a". removed periodically by use of therespective ejectors 50. The application of the pulse of compressed air is repeated at eachStage 1, 2, 3 and entry Stage 4 at between two to three minute intervals. - To replace
acid 25 discharged through thedischarge opening 72, and product liquor flowing from theoverflow 61,fresh acid 25 is fed into the feed duct 80 of Stage 3 and theinlet 24 of the entry Stage 4 so that fresh acid can flow in the direction of movement of the hulls and in the opposite direction through the plant. Someacid 25 is circulated from the sump duct assemblies 40 through thetransfer ducts 47 to the respective 'V'-shaped ducts 33 or 55. - The temperature of the
acid 25 in eachStage 1, 2, 3, and entry Stage 4 is controlled by therespective jacket respective jacket Stages 1 and 2 is just below its boiling temperature. Product gases are vented to the vent duct 28 for reflux condensation and chemical scrubbing. - The fluid
permeable barriers 19 may conveniently be provided by perforating the respective base duct 11, 37, 58 or 75. - Although the invention has been described in relation to a plant having three Stages, a single Stage may be used, or any convenient multiple Stage arrangement used to suit a particular application. Each Stage may have the liquid therein displaced upwardly in a sequential manner by suitable sequential timing of the application of the compressed air pulses to the liquid to transport the items from one Stage to another.
- The plant is arranged to be dimensioned so that in the event of complete failure there will not be a critical mass of nuclear fissionable material retained in the plant, and furthermore, the plant will be housed within a biological shield. The plant may be constructed where appropriate from stainless steel or from suitable glass.
- It will be understood that, if desired, a
sump duct assembly 40 could be joined to a permeable barrier means 19 at the side of the base duct 37 instead of to the underside of the base duct 37. - Superheated steam could be used to provide the pressure pulse to displace the
acid 25, or a hydraulic ram or piston used to produce a similar effect. - The apparatus of the invention is not restricted to the dissolution of nuclear fuel materials, and may also be designed to transport items with, or without the transporting liquid reacting or treating the items to be transported.
- The inlet duct and the outlet duct could be joined together in an alternative arrangement to that described above, and need not be straight, for example they could be coiled helically upwards. The use of a curved join between the inlet duct and the outlet duct is preferred, however, to inhibit any tendency of the items to jam. The inlet duct and the outlet duct could be formed by a tank with a downwardly extending dividing wall or baffle that terminates above the bottom of the tank to form essentially an inlet passageway and an outlet passageway.
Claims (8)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB3274678 | 1978-08-09 | ||
GB7832746 | 1978-08-09 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0009868A1 EP0009868A1 (en) | 1980-04-16 |
EP0009868B1 true EP0009868B1 (en) | 1982-05-12 |
Family
ID=10498949
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP79301607A Expired EP0009868B1 (en) | 1978-08-09 | 1979-08-07 | Improvements in or relating to a method and to an apparatus for transporting items and plant therefor |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US4278531A (en) |
EP (1) | EP0009868B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPS5526200A (en) |
DE (1) | DE2962821D1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2027131B (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2587310B1 (en) * | 1985-09-18 | 1990-11-16 | Commissariat Energie Atomique | CHAIN FOR TRANSFER OF A SUSPENSION OF PARTICLES IN CONSTANT QUANTITY WITH A VIEW TO THEIR PACKAGING. |
GB8821190D0 (en) * | 1988-09-09 | 1988-10-12 | Atomic Energy Authority Uk | Pulsed transporter |
GB2283472B (en) * | 1993-11-05 | 1997-02-26 | Vapormatt Ltd | Conveying loose particulate material present in a body of liquid |
GB9704256D0 (en) * | 1997-02-28 | 1997-04-16 | British Nuclear Fuels Plc | Dissolution of nuclear fuel rods |
RU2136063C1 (en) * | 1998-06-03 | 1999-08-27 | Государственный научный центр Российской Федерации "Всероссийский научно-исследовательский институт неорганических материалов им.акад.А.А.Бочвара" | Apparatus for dissolving spent fuel elements and apparatus for treating solid particles with liquid |
RU2136357C1 (en) * | 1998-06-03 | 1999-09-10 | Государственный научный центр РФ "Всероссийский научно-исследовательский институт неорганических материалов им.акад.А.А.Бочвара" | Method of motion of lumpy material in liquid and device for realization of this method |
Family Cites Families (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US368033A (en) * | 1887-08-09 | Teeritory | ||
US1035864A (en) * | 1911-03-31 | 1912-08-20 | Cie D Entpr S De Lavage De Minerais | Apparatus for the separation of ores. |
US1865167A (en) * | 1927-10-12 | 1932-06-28 | Bongera Miguel | Separating device |
US2163927A (en) * | 1937-04-23 | 1939-06-27 | Ind Patents Corp | Separation apparatus |
GB884056A (en) * | 1957-03-02 | 1961-12-06 | Partridge Davis & Company Ltd | New or improved conveyor for bulk materials |
US3195984A (en) * | 1960-05-05 | 1965-07-20 | Arthur E Sands | Column dissolver |
BE628808A (en) * | 1962-02-23 | |||
JPS593366B2 (en) * | 1976-04-09 | 1984-01-24 | 共栄造機株式会社 | solids transfer equipment |
-
1979
- 1979-08-07 EP EP79301607A patent/EP0009868B1/en not_active Expired
- 1979-08-07 GB GB7927516A patent/GB2027131B/en not_active Expired
- 1979-08-07 DE DE7979301607T patent/DE2962821D1/en not_active Expired
- 1979-08-08 US US06/064,910 patent/US4278531A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1979-08-09 JP JP10272079A patent/JPS5526200A/en active Granted
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JPH0248458B2 (en) | 1990-10-25 |
JPS5526200A (en) | 1980-02-25 |
US4278531A (en) | 1981-07-14 |
GB2027131A (en) | 1980-02-13 |
EP0009868A1 (en) | 1980-04-16 |
DE2962821D1 (en) | 1982-07-01 |
GB2027131B (en) | 1983-02-09 |
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